1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to method and apparatus for displaying a sign and, more particularly, to method and apparatus for displaying a sign in which the sign includes a pair of vertical notches that facilitate connection to a bracket.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various devices for displaying cards, nameplates, tickets, or other objects have been disclosed. U.S. Pat. No. 1,405,915 discloses a card holder that includes a pair of spaced apart, card holding members. Each member includes an attaching portion with a laterally offset card-receiving portion. The card covers the attaching portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,838,529 discloses a nameplate for a directory comprising a strip and blank in which the strip is comprised of a thin, flexible, resilient deformed material having rounded ends forming lobes. The blank is a plastic engravable blank secured to the strip. Nameplates are provided which are flexible to be bent in a slight curvature and are resilient to return to that shape when flattened. The nameplate is deformed and/or positioned to cause only the strip of the nameplate to fit into and engage folded-over edge portions of a holder.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,768,715 discloses a display device for displaying price ticket holders. The ticket holders are removable. The display device includes a main body portion of elongated shape. Inwardly disposed end flanges integral with the ends of the main body portion are included. A channel member is carried by the main body portion and extends transversely in spaced relationship with the flanges. The oppositely disposed flanges are formed integral with the channel member and are adapted to cooperate with their respective end flanges to retain a ticket in display position in the main portion. Tongues are carried by the channel members and are adapted for bending around the respective side edge of the body portion to retain the price tickets in position.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,627,683 discloses a foldable display made of sheet material. The display is particularly adapted for being applied to the top of an oil pump casing. A display made of sheet material is cut, scored, and foldable to conform to a curved support. The ends of the sheet are attached together to turn both of the ends of the oval scored base downwardly to conform to oppositely curved surfaces at relatively opposite sides of the top of the supporting structure. Resilient means extend through the display and against the scored portion in its outwardly turned position and fastening clips secured to the ends of the resilient means comprising hooks adapted to engage the sides of the support with the rounded top to which the display is attached.
Sign assemblies often include a frame structure often made of metal, plastic or other materials. Typically, a sign portion is held in place by the frame structure. Very often such frame structures do not offer the ease in changing the sign portion and at the same time provide a sign portion that is securely held in place once it is positioned in the sign assembly. Very often such sign assemblies are outside and exposed to the elements or may be inside and exposed to people or other forces bumping the assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,942,444 discloses an advertising sign assembly for a vehicle top. The assembly includes an essentially flat panel supported by a plurality of brackets. The brackets are secured to the vehicle top with a plurality of elastic bands.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,377 discloses a system for mounting signs to posts. The system includes a bracket having a plurality of sides provided with a longitudinal slot in one of its sides. The system also includes two post engaging projections on another side of the bracket and at least one opening transverse to the slot. The sign is capable of being introduced in the slot having at least one opening that is in alignment with those in the bracket. The system is securely held to the post by straps that extend through the recesses and are tightly wrapped around the post so as to retain the sign and the bracket at the same time.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,866 discloses a signage system support structure formed from a pair of identical extruded multi-groove channel members. A connecting element is included in the form of an elongated rigid panel inserted into an unconstricted medial groove of each channel which serves to join two channels. Each channel is additionally formed with a constructed medial groove, and a pair of outwardly facing grooves, and pair of lateral grooves on each side of and parallel to the medial grooves. In use, the upper and/or lower edges of the sign to be supported are engaged in one or more of the channel grooves with a flat sign having either opposed edges encased in the lateral grooves or a free edge in a constricted medial groove. An arcuate sign has its edges engaged in the outwardly facing grooves. The signs may be formed with engaging tabs displaceable from the plane of the sign to engage a groove.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,889 discloses a bracket. The bracket serves as a sign support by providing a leg and a foot. A plurality of retainers is carried by the leg and foot. The retainers hold the sign in a vertical orientation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,867 discloses a selective message display system. The system includes a pair of plates facing one another and in a spaced relationship to form a space between them. The outer faces of the plates bear insignia, such as parking restriction notifications. A movable display panel is mounted between the plates. The faces of the display panel bear additional insignia that override or complement the parking restrictions on the plates.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,858 discloses an apparatus for providing advertising on a gas pump hose. The apparatus includes a frame having a slide located on one edge that can be slid into a housing located on a hose connector collar. The hose connector collar is connected to the gas pump hose by a clamp located at opposite ends of the hose connector collar. An advertising structure is placed within the frame and at eye level of a customer of the service station to maximize the effect of the advertisement while the customer is at the service station.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,035 discloses bracket for securing a sign to a position which a clamp is formed as a flanged open substantially cylindrical body having facing arms adapted to be brought together by a bolt for holding the sign. Tightening the bolt serves to attach the sign to the bracket and the bracket to the post. The sign defines a slot having an open end for allowing the sign to be inserted between the arms of the body without having to completely unscrew the bolt.
Various sign assemblies that include extended slots have also been disclosed. U.S. Pat. No. 2,345,913 discloses a display card that is mounted between two hollow tubular column members. The display card has an L-shaped slot which extends on its lateral edge on both sides of the display card. Such an arrangement allows the card to be evenly suspended from both sides. The rivets from which the display card is suspended are sufficient to support the card without the use of any additional abutment to maintain the card vertical direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,921 discloses a wind resistant sign for display purposes. The sign includes a base and a thin, resilient panel. The panel has sufficient resilience and strength to undergo bending deflection responsive to wind forces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,352 discloses a changeable sign assembly. The assembly includes a base with a least two retaining members attached to the base which has walls defining opposing longitudinal grooves. A number of display members having curved opposite edge portions are formed of a thin resilient material. The edge portions are flexibly deformed by the longitudinal grooves to the retaining members so that the display members are removably retained by the retaining members.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,578,302 and 6,601,328 disclose a sign assembly particularly adapted for point of purchase displays. The sign assembly provides an easily changeable sign portion but when mounted remains securely in position. The sign assembly may utilize pre-existing structures for its support.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,633 discloses an improved modular post-mounted sign apparatus for maintaining a sign in a substantially retained fashion while providing for the facilitated assembly, disassembly and storage of the sign apparatus. A sign panel is telescopically inserted through the open end of the post into an interior cavity. A portion of the sign panel protrudes outwardly through a slot in the post. The sign panel is retained within the post's interior cavity by a flanged retaining pin assembly affixed to the portion of the sign panel. The retaining pins preclude the removal of the sign panel from the post member. A cap is removably affixed over the open first end of the post member to further retain the sign panel.
Existing sign assemblies are difficult to assemble and disassemble, so that changing the sign portion is difficult. Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved sign assembly that includes a sign portion that may be quickly and easily changed.